Archive for August, 2009

Be Brave Rachael!

This month, as copies of The Cattleman’s Daughter are sent out to the media and bookstores I keep telling myself, ‘No risk, no reward!’

I want you to know it takes guts to be a writer – not a person that one day wants to write a book, but a person that writes one book, then another, then another and on and on until the grave.

As a writer you expose your soul and some may throw stones at you or others joyously give you love but amidst all those responses, the only thing I can do is keep on writing.

Recently I read a book by Erica Jong, Fear of Fifty and a couple of quotes stood out like dog’s balls to me.

“It is nothing short of a miracle every time a woman with a child finishes a book”

and …

“Imagine straddling the cosmos, clinging to the tails of comets, knowing that time does not exist. That is the writer’s life. It is the purest connection to the universe a mortal can have. It is also a kind of prayer.”

and finally …

“Women’s right to create both life and art is still questioned everywhere.”

Thank you Erica Jong for your strength and giving me a light to be guided by … its now time for me to go hang out the washing!

The Cattleman’s Daughter is on its way

Introducing Rachael’s new book, The Cattleman’s Daughter. Look out for it in Australian bookstores from September 28.

From one of Australia’s best-loved authors comes a dramatic novel that captures the essence of our times.

Land management, environmental care and consumerism are current issues that have been woven into Treasure’s dramatic and entertaining story set on the rugged Dargo High Plains.

Written prior to Victoria’s 2009 bushfires the story has an eerily prophetic tone to it, but the accuracy of Treasure’s predictions hold no surprise given Treasure’s personal links and experience in the mountain country of Eastern Victoria.

Married to a mountain cattleman, Rachael has spent time riding horses and droving cattle in the snow gum country near Dargo and she has used her character, Emily Flanaghan, to portray the issues faced by mountain people.

We first meet Emily on the cusp of great change when she and her horse are badly injured in a bush race. Emily has been locked in an unhappy marriage in the suburbs, but the accident brings about Emily’s realisation that the mountains are her destiny, and the only way forward for her and her daughters.

Read more…

Listen Lucky Truckies!

Good news came through that Bolinda Audio Books want to record all of my novels. My friend Heidi who had a stint over in WA with her hubby on the mines said there were lots of truckies who enjoyed The Rouseabout while they drove this wide brown land.

Now Jillaroo, The Stockmen and The Cattleman’s Daughter will be released by Bolinda in audio form.

Today I hope to hear from actress Miranda Nation who voiced The Rouseabout so beautifully.

She has a few pronunciation questions and I have to teach her how to sing Sunny Cowgirls’ classic song, Naked. Now that will be something to listen to!

Forty Fantasies

I’ve decided that during my fortieth year I’m going to set 40 fantasies in motion for myself and my family.

Meet Rachael’s fantasy number four; A quarterhorse Buckskin mare called Dreams. She truly is a dream come true for me.

We bought her this week from a lovely family near Canberra. As a child I loved everything to do with cowboys and Indians so I think that’s where my desire for a Buckskin began. I love a good Western.

I can’t wait for sweet Dreams to arrive in Tasmania where, after loads of rain, I’m having wet dreams!?!

Come to daddy!

This outstanding Sprint-bred quarterhorse stallion, Blazing Image, belongs to our friend Luke Brayshaw. He has excellent temperament is fast, athletic, spunky and brilliant on cattle – and that’s just Luke.

The stallion has all these traits too and is throwing some cracking foals.

That’s why we picked this boy to shag our lovely Australian Stockhorse mare, Marigold!

Luke also inspired a scene in my new novel The Cattleman’s Daughter and provided me with a name for my hero in the book.

If you are in need of a classy stallion to service your mare, call Luke on 0403 087 429. You can also see more details of Blazing Image in the Stallions August 2009 Edition of Horse Deals on page 78.

Super Saddles

One fantasy I’ve had all my life is to own a really beautiful saddle. I’ve still got the one I had when I was 14 that I bought with my first pony Tristan. It is an Indian-made saddle and is still like a block of concrete to ride in.

Now look! We visited our friends Heath and Krissy Harris in Sydney and while we were there I bought one of Heath’s beautiful Hawkesbury River Company saddles.

I rode in it on Zac, one of Heath’s incredible trick riding horses, and I felt like I was sitting on a comfy lounge.

If you are interested in Heath’s saddles go to The Hawkesbury River Saddle Company.

They are practical, beautifully-crafted and one of the safest saddles you can buy.

Morning glory

This is why I love living where I live!

This is our version of peak our traffic in Woodsdale. On my way to work truffle harvesting early one morning I was slowed by the glorious vision of mating turkeys on the road beside Pip Wagner’s turnip crop.

No need for road rage round here!

Feral Beryl

Look out! Here’s Trouble!

Thanks to my friends, Rod and Leanne, I now have a super daggy sticker for my V8 Holden Ute.

One of my skills is taking the mickey out of myself and this sticker simply adds to that.

Now my Bundy Mum-mobile is all set to head to Deni Ute Muster to celebrate the release of my fourth novel, The Cattleman’s Daughter! Brooom, Brooom!

Watch this space!

This may look just like a bare paddock and an ordinary dam full of water — but come back soon to the site to see what plans we have in store for this space and this water!

We are launching into one of the most exciting farming ventures that we’ve ever embarked upon.

Look out for phase two and watch Rachael’s farming dreams come to life!

Turning Thespian

This is the Theatre on Oxford Street in Sydney where I spent from 8.30am to 8.30pm listening to the profound wisdom and frequent swearing of screenwriting master Robert McKee. I

t was truly the most valuable course I’ve ever attended on writing and I’m glad I risked leaving farm and family to throw myself into such an unknown world.

I mostly loved the way Robert McKee cut through all the crap and wank that surrounds writing and took us to the core of what being a good writer is … someone who understands humanity and can interpret it in story form.

One of Robert McKee’s most quotable quotes, that I doubt will affect the plotting and planning of my next work of fiction was, ‘I happen to like using profanities, but if you don’t like it … there’s the @#**ing door!’

It was a classic and instantly I liked this straight shooting gun from the States.